


Oh the Places You'll Go

by herbailiwick



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-11
Updated: 2012-08-11
Packaged: 2017-11-11 22:57:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/483822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/herbailiwick/pseuds/herbailiwick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if the reason Martin only got the van was because he was the winner, not the loser?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Oh the Places You'll Go

"Martin, you didn't realize what he meant by giving you the van?" Mrs Crieff asked, staring at her poor son. 

"No, no, I exactly realize it," Martin said, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice and, of course, failing. "It's alright. Can we just not talk about it, please?" Martin ached. He'd always loved his father. He'd tried to do right by him. He thought he'd always caused less trouble than Simon and Caitlin, but apparently that hadn't been true.

"No, you don't," Mrs Crieff said, her eyes getting all watery. How could he upset his mother like that?

"It's okay, Mum!" he said. "I really don't mind."

"Martin, he gave you the van because he loved that van. You know he did."

"He did," Martin admitted. Mr Crieff had always washed it, repaired it, gone into it when he needed to have a moment alone. So much of him was in that van. "But," Martin swallowed, "I'm struggling for money, and...."

Mrs Crieff sighed. "He should have given you something; I know. But, please, don't for a second think he meant it as a slight."

"But, didn't he, though?" Martin said, raising his voice. "Didn't he, when I...I'm here, a captain for no charge, after failing so many tries for my license. This is all I love, all I care about, and I'm not even...Mum, I'm not even _good_ ," he said, voice cracking.

"Marty...oh, Marty. You're not the failure, darling," she said, the tears finally spilling out. She was going to get red, just like he got red. Their matching complexions always assured it.

"No, but I am!"

She shook her head. "Martin, Simon and Caitlin can't survive without sucking their existence from a number of hosts," Mrs Crieff said with a bitterness she rarely spoke with when it came to her children, and never when it came to Martin, as far as Martin knew. Though, probably behind his back, the bitterness was there.

"So, I mean, shouldn't he have given me... _something_?" he rasped out. "I mean, just, something?"

"You're the only one of us who would have kept the van. You made a business out of it. Martin, you're amazing," Mrs Crieff said, shaking her head slightly at his lack of understanding. "The reason he didn't leave you any funds was because he had faith in you." 

Martin froze, feeling slightly dizzy. "No," he said in a rush, "that's not right. Is it? Did he? He had...he had faith in me? No, but, it doesn't make—"

"Martin," she said, cutting him off, placing a hand on his reddish cheek. "Martin, when did your father ever make a decision that made perfect sense?"

Martin blinked. He studied the lino for a moment. "W-well...never."

She smiled softly, tugging him toward her. 

He stood in front of her, looking down at her tear-stained face. "Do you think he was...?" he finally started.

"Proud of you? Martin, how didn't you know this?" She pushed herself to her feet, wrapping her arms around him tightly, resting her head against his shoulder. "Martin, he always was, and I've always been too. You're independent, and considerate, and never any trouble. You know your brother and sister don't come round except for 'help', won't even kiss me." She took in a deep breath, inhaling his scent, letting her eyes close. "You're a very special boy, Martin," she said. "I don't know how you didn't know."

Martin clung to his mother and silently cried, so much more grateful for the gift of his father's van and tools, even if he hadn't received five grand to drink or shop away like his siblings. 

Money was money, but his father's approval, even from beyond the grave, was worth so much more.


End file.
